Santorum: Americans Should Suffer

During a town hall meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa Friday afternoon, Rick Santorum argued that Americans receive too many government benefits and ought to “suffer” in the Christian tradition. If “you’re lower income, you can qualify for Medicaid, you can qualify for food stamps, you can qualify for housing assistance,” Santorum complained, before adding, “suffering is part of life and it’s not a bad thing, it is an essential thing in life.” However, almost all states have curtailed their aid programs, just as the economic downturn is expanding the pool of eligible applicants. Watch it:

Igor Volsky is the Health Care and LGBT Editor for ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He also writes on LGBT Equality issues. Igor is co-author of Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform. Igor grew up in Russia, Israel, and New Jersey.

Santorum: Americans Should Suffer

During a town hall meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa Friday afternoon, Rick Santorum argued that Americans receive too many government benefits and ought to “suffer” in the Christian tradition. If “you’re lower income, you can qualify for Medicaid, you can qualify for food stamps, you can qualify for housing assistance,” Santorum complained, before adding, “suffering is part of life and it’s not a bad thing, it is an essential thing in life.” However, almost all states have curtailed their aid programs, just as the economic downturn is expanding the pool of eligible applicants. Watch it:

Igor Volsky is the Health Care and LGBT Editor for ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He also writes on LGBT Equality issues. Igor is co-author of Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform. Igor grew up in Russia, Israel, and New Jersey.